Diverticular disease in patients under 50 years of age.

Sigmoid diverticular disease, when it occurs in a young age group, may follow a more aggressive course with a higher incidence of complications than in elderly. The mode of presentation and management in 77 patients under 50 years of age presenting with sigmoid diverticular disease over a 6-year period is described. Surgery for complications (peritonitis, abscess, bowel obstruction, fistula and haemorrhage) was performed in 18 (23%) individuals. Colonic resection was carried out in 14 (78%) of the operated group with primary anastomosis in six patients and Hartmann's procedure in eight patients. The mortality (30 day) was zero. Nineteen (25%) of the entire group, and 12 (67%) of those undergoing surgery had been previously hospitalized with a complication of diverticular disease. The recurrent nature and frequency of serious complications in this group, suggests that elective surgery should be considered if an acute infective episode is successfully managed conservatively.